Maintaining the ocular surface of the eye: the role of corneal epithelial stem cells in health and disease

Mary Ann Stepp, Ph. D.Professor

Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology and of Ophthalmology

How are the corneal epithelial stem cells maintainedthroughout our lifetime within their niche at the limbusdespite all the insults the ocular surface is forced to endure?

Some problems that can arise on the ocular surface…

After PRK RecurrentErosion

Corneal EpithelialStem Cell Deficiency

(CESCD)

Some problems that can arise on the ocular surface…

After PRK RecurrentErosion

Corneal EpithelialStem Cell Deficiency

(CESCD)

Development of mouse model for the study of these conditions

The cornea is optically wellsuited for microscopic analysis

QuickTime™ and aCinepak decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

4 integrin whole mount

The cornea is optically wellsuited for microscopic analysis

QuickTime™ and aCinepak decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

4 integrin whole mount

QuickTime™ and aCinepak decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

To get at the mechanism of these affects, we have a cell culture model we are using to study cell adhesion and migration.

QuickTime™ and aCinepak decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

To get at the mechanism of these affects, we have a cell culture model we are using to study cell adhesion and migration.

To get at the mechanism of these affects, we have a cell culture model we are using to study cell adhesion and migration.

Many important questions remain but we believe we have a model system that continues to give us new insight into the how

cell adhesion regulates the stem cell niche.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!